bp

U.S. May Soon Become World's Top Oil Producer

U.S. oil output is surging so fast that the United States could soon overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest producer. "Five years ago, if I or anyone had predicted today's production growth, people would have thought we were crazy," says one expert.

Big Oil Isn't as Profitable as Everyone Thinks

Americans spend a lot of money on oil: about $632 billion a year. And the big oil producers report eye-popping annual profits, like ExxonMobil's $41 billion in 2011. Numbers like that may make you feel like we're getting robbed at the pump ... but it's not that simple.

BP Sells Some Gulf of Mexico Assets for $5.55 Billion

Oil company BP said Monday it is selling some deep-water assets in the Gulf Mexico to Plains Exploration & Production Co. for $5.55 billion, a big step in the BP's drive to cover the cost of its oil well blowout in the Gulf two years ago and concentrate investment elsewhere.

BP May Face $21 Billion in Fines Over 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

The Justice Department is charging BP with gross negligence for its reckless actions related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. If the charges stick, BP could face fines up to $21 billion. Can the company survive such a financial and PR nightmare?

10 Surprising Brands That We're Starting to Love Again

Popularity can be fickle: One day America loves your brand; the next, you're passe. But every year brings some surprising rebounds, and you won't believe some of the companies that made 2012's list for most improved images in the eyes of U.S. consumers.

The Global 500: No Borders, No Boundaries

Despite financial turmoil in Europe and disasters in Japan, the world's largest corporations had record profits and revenue in 2011. Where on Earth will the growth come from next?

How You Can Profit from Fluctuating Oil Prices

In discussing his new report on the oil markets, analyst Jason Burack talks about some large-cap stocks with potential, and discusses a junior company in which he sees a great deal of headroom.

BP's Prediction: Your Old Car Is Almost Obsolete

When a major oil company predicts that the era of gas-powered cars is coming to an end soon, the rest of us might want pay attention. According to BP, you've got maybe 18 years left before your car is obsolete -- and probably a lot less than that.

How to Heat Your Home for Free (or Profit) This Winter

Like they say: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. With the price of home heating oil on the rise, and likely to go on rising due to global politics, now might be a good time to place a bet on oil to hedge against the costs of keeping the homestead warm.

Why BP Will Never Be Great Again

BP has big problems, and not just because of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the $20 billion compensation fund it set up to pay the victims. The petro-giant has been missing Wall Street's profit targets lately, thanks to sloppy operations and a general trend toward lower gasoline consumption.

9 CEOs Who Need to Be Fired

Last year, 24/7 Wall St. put together a list of CEOs who need to retire, basing its judgment on quarterly earnings, stock price, and innovation. Now, with most large public companies having reported their second quarter results, 24/7 is back with a list of nine CEOs who are performing so poorly that they ought to be removed immediately. Read on to find out who, and why.

Big Oil Taking Small Steps Toward Big Renewables Profits

The oil industry giants are embracing alternative technologies -- including biofuels, geothermal and solar. Right now, renewable sources provide only a tiny fraction of the profits they derive from oil and gas, but they'll have a real impact on the revenues of majors like BP, Exxon Mobil and Chevron in the not-so-distant future.

Ease Pain at Pump With Gas Station Credit Cards?

The average American family will spend about $825 more for gas in 2011 than it did in 2010. But for every pain there is a pill, and in this case, a partial cure for the fill-'er-up blues may be to sign up for a gas station credit card. Done the right way, it can result in hefty savings. The key: paying off the balance at the end of each month.

With Big Oil Stocks Riding High, It's Time to Take Profits

Exxon Mobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips are all trading near multi-year highs, and even BP shares have done well recently. Still, while the high oil prices that have been pinching consumers have been great for the industry, there are good reasons not to count on those high stock values lasting.

BP Earnings Jump 16% on Asset Sales

Oil giant BP has reported a 16% rise in first-quarter net profits as gains from the sale of major assets outweighed the ongoing costs of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Cuba's Deepwater Oil Could Be a Game Changer

The delivery of a Chinese-built, Spanish-backed offshore oil rig to Cuban waters has been delayed until summer. But when drilling does begin 90 miles off the Florida coast, it could mean a host of problems -- and opportunities -- on the energy and the political fronts.

Leaping Oil Prices May Call for Emergency Measures

Worried about the sharp shock political unrest is giving to crude oil prices, international officials said oil-consuming nations have emergency reserves they can use to stabilize markets in case the violence in Libya and the wider Middle East escalates and crimps production.

BP Reinstates Dividend but Problems Linger

BP has benefited from high oil prices and announced it would reinstate its dividend. However, while its fourth-quarter profit was up from a year earlier, the oil giant reported a full-year loss.

BP Oil Spill Panel Calls for Reforms, Stronger Oversight

Oil industry practices and government rules must be subjected to substantial reform to prevent future accidents similar to BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico last April, said a report released Tuesday by the presidential panel probing the incident.

Report: Alaska Pipeline to Reopen

Oil prices rose modestly, after spiking by almost $2 a barrel earlier Monday, on reports that an Alaskan pipeline that was shut down Saturday because of an oil leak will reopen within days.

BP Station Owners: Surviving a Debacle and Rebounding

Facing widespread calls for boycotts, owners responded by hammering home the message that the U.K. oil company doesn't own most of the retail locations that bear its name. Now as anger fades, business is coming back, and few owners ditched the brand.

Oil Industry Plans Record Spending in 2011

One would think that BP's massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill this year would have given pause to the global oil industry, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Companies in the sector are planning to spend a record $490 billion in 2011, including a large amount for deep-water development.

The BP Oil Spill's Long-Term Threat to Bluefin Tuna

The Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico may have unleashed a chain of events that could extend economically far beyond the region, threatening one of the world's most lucrative fishing species -- the bluefin tuna. The main culprit: the dispersants used to dissolve the oil.

Costner Hit With Lawsuit Over Oil-Spill Cleaning Device

Stephen Baldwin has sued fellow actor Kevin Costner over the sale of technology used to help clean the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Baldwin says Costner owes him a share of an $18 million deposit that BP made as part of a larger purchase.